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Happy Monday everyone! I know it’s been awhile since my last post, but I’ve been extremely busy lately! I do have a few new projects to share, I just haven’t had any free time to sit down and write. Most recently Ryan and I decided to focus on finishing our Laundry Room/Mudroom. This space is located right off of our Garage and it’s where we enter and leave the house each day. I would say it has been the most used and neglected space in our house. Anyway we have updated the space and made it much more functional. One of the ways we improved and decluttered the space was by making a washer/dryer pedestal. It allowed us to raise the washer and dryer, which made them easier to use and created space beneath them to store our shoes! Here’s how you can make your very own…

Before:

Step One: Measure & gather

Measure the space in which you are going to be placing your pedestal in. We came in about an inch from our length measurement to allow for wiggle room. Using the measurements you made purchase enough material to construct your pedestal. We used 4×4’s for the legs, MDF board for the top, and 2×4’s for the frame.

Step Two: Build a frame

Using the length and width measurement you took, cut 2 2×4’s to your length measurement and 2 2×4’s to the width. Attach all four piece of wood together making a rectangle. Cut 2 more 2×4’s that are 3 inches less than width measurement if you are using 45 degree angles to attach the rectangle frame. Take the 2 2×4’s and place them spaced evenly in the middle of the rectangle frame and screw into place.

Step Three:Assemble legs & top

Cut 4 4×4’s to your desired height, keeping in mind that the 2×4 will cut off 3 and 1/2 inches underneath. Attach legs in each corner of the frame, making sure it is flush with the top. Cut MDF to size and screw onto the top of the frame.

Step Four:Paint & stain

Head to your local hardware store and choose the paint and stain you want to use for the pedestal. We decided to stain the frame and legs an antique grey and paint the top sage green. Allow the pedestal to dry overnight and then it’s ready for use!

It’s Monday and man do I have a busy week ahead of me! Actually the next few weeks are going to be pretty crazy but I’ll definitely try to make some time and post a few fun projects I’ve been working on! Here’s one that will spruce up your living room and save you some money by doing- it- yourself!

Before:

Step One:Choose pillow

Head to your local fabric store and pick up a few pillows you want to use for this project. They come in several different sizes and are priced according to comfort. If you want to save some money like I did, you can use some throw pillows you already have.

Step Two:Select fabric

The fabric I used for my pillows was leftover from the DIY Door Panel Curtain which you can read about here:

It’s a cotton blend fabric which is super easy to wash and requires no ironing. The amount of fabric you need will depend on the size of the pillows you choose. Take the width of the pillow and add 1″. Then take the height of the pillow double it and add 6″.

Step Three:Measure & Cut

Lay the fabric down and measure it out. As listed above you will need the width of the pillow plus 1″ and the height of the pillow doubled plus 6″.

Step Four:Hem sides

Hem the shorter sides or width of the fabric. Lay down the fabric with the pattern side facing up. Place the pillow on top of the fabric and fold the hemmed sides towards each other. Continue folding the pillow with the fabric until it is tightly wrapped. The fabric will overlap each other which will create an opening to get the pillow in and out of.

Step Five:Pin

Once the pillow is tightly wrapped make sure the fabric matches up and pin it. You want an evenly matched line down the center of the pillow. This will end up being the back of the pillow, so don’t worry too much about getting the fabric to line up perfectly. Carefully slide out the pillow and continue pinning down the long side or length of the fabric. When pinning you will want to come in about a 1/2″ from the top and bottom.

Step Five:Sew

Sew a straight line where you have placed your pins, taking them out as you go. Once your done sewing both sides, flip the fabric inside out so that the pattern side is facing out. Stuff the pillow inside the cover and it’s ready to use!

Happy Monday everyone! It’s tough to start the work week especially if your a Cyclone fan like me. We may have lost the big rivalry game but I’ve got an up-cycle project for all you fellow tailgaters! I’m sure you have plenty of leftover beer bottles from Saturday’s festivities so here’s a fun way to re-purpose them.

Before:

Step One:Clean

Soak the beer bottles in soapy hot water to remove any labels and leftover residue. Allow the bottles to air dry.

Step Two:Glue

Lay down a few pieces of newspaper on a table to catch anything that may fall. Using rubber cement apply a thin coat of glue to the outside of the bottle. You will only be able to do one bottle at a time, because the glue will dry quickly. I decided to only cover half of the bottle, but you can cover the whole area if you want to.

Step Three:Glitter

Before the glue dries quickly shake on the glitter. You may need to press down lightly on the glitter with your hand to ensure it sticks and holds to the glue securely. After the glitter is applied let the bottle sit for a few minutes and then twist it slowly to shake loose any glitter that won’t hold. Fill in any bare patches with just a little glue and more glitter. Once the bottle is complete covered with glitter, spray it with a clear coat to seal and protect it. Allow the bottle to completely dry.

Step Four:Decorate

Add a flower to finish the look! I used a single rose for each bottle and trimmed them down to fit. Now they are ready to be displayed!

Hooray for Thursday! This week has been all about the big Iowa vs. Iowa State game and I can’t wait to tailgate on Saturday. My hubby and I will be cheering on our alumni team IOWA STATE!! GO CYCLONES :) All the excitement surrounding the game got me thinking about tailgating in general and all the fun we have. Everyone is expected to bring at least a little something to pitch in, so if your not sure what to bring this year here’s a DIY project that’s guaranteed to make you the life of the party!

Before:

Step One:Locate

We used 2×6 chunks of wood for our corn toss platform. You will need 1″ wide pieces of plywood to secure the 2×6’s together and 1″ wide pieces of wood for trim pieces. You will also need 2×2 chunks of wood to use as legs to support the platforms.

Step Two:Cut

Using a circular saw, cut (4) 2×6’s to 42″ in length. Cut 2 pieces of trim wood to 43&1/2″ and 2 more to 24″”. Then cut 1″ strips of plywood to tie together all the 2×6’s. Cut the 2×2 leg pieces to 10&1/2″. These measurements are based off the size of game board my husband wanted to make, but you can find the official playing size anywhere on the internet.

Step Three:Assemble

Line up the (4) 2×6’s making sure they are flush with each other on the top and bottom. You will want the back side of the boards facing up. Using 1″ pieces of plywood screw the boards firmly in place. As pictured below Ryan cut the plywood pieces and spaced them evenly down the length of the 2×6’s to ensure they are securely fastened together.

Step Four:Trim

Take the 43&1/2″ trim pieces and attach them to the sides of each platform. Then take the 24″ trim pieces and attach them to the top and bottom. This will not only help you achieve the width and length for the corn toss game, it also adds a decorative element which makes it look nice!

Step Five:Measure

Measure 12″ down from the top of the corn toss platform you’ve just created and mark it. Then measure from the side to the center of the platform and make another mark. The lines should intersect and this will give you a center point for drilling the hole.

Step Six:Drill

The hole needs to measure 6″ in diameter. Ryan used a 6″ hole saw to ensure a perfectly round hole.

Step Seven:Attach Legs

Take the 2×2″ leg pieces and attach them to the board by using a triangle hinge. After both legs are attached then cut a 2×4″ piece of wood to place in between the legs to ensure more stability. Screw in the 2×4″ and make sure the board sits how you want it to. You can also cut the legs down after they are attached if you want less of an angle on the board.

Step Eight:Stain

To save you time and money I would recommend selecting a stain that is 2-in-1, meaning it has polyurethane in it. You will need a paintbrush to apply the stain and a few cotton rags to wipe off the excess. We decided to go with a gray stain that we had left over and applied two coats. Allow time for the stain to dry between each coat and follow the directions on the back of the can. Once the platforms are completely dry, all you need to finish this project is to purchase some bags to toss with. Now it’s game on!

Happy Thursday!! Although it’s a short work week, I feel like the work days are just dragging on. So I’ve got a pick me up project for you to work on that will revamp your bedroom furniture and give this space a fresh new look! Here’s how you do it…

Before:

Step One:Locate furniture

The bedroom furniture set that we wanted to refurbish consisted of a headboard and dresser that has been in our family for many years. If you don’t have any furniture pieces you want to refurbish you can usually find great deals at garage sales.

Step Two:Strip off

First remove any hardware that might be remaining on your chosen piece of furniture. Then using a chemical stripper found at your local hardware store, remove the finish from the wood. This product is powerful so make sure you follow the directions on the back of the can very closely. You will need gloves, rags, a paint brush, chemical stripper, lacquer thinner, a plastic scraper, a sponge, and cardboard.

To catch any drips or spills place a large segment of cardboard underneath the furniture.

Using a paint brush apply a thick layer of chemical stripper to the wood. Wait at least 20 minutes for the stripper to work before trying to scrape it off.

Using a plastic scraper remove the chemical stripper from the wood. It should take little to no effort to remove the finish. If not, wait a little longer.

Using a sponge apply the lacquer thinner to clean off any residue left behind from the stripper.

Take a cotton rag and wipe down the wood. It may take a few rags to clean the entire piece of furniture.

Step Three:Sand down

Using fine grit sandpaper, sand down the entire piece of furniture. Sand with the grain of the wood creating a smooth surface to stain. After your done sanding, clean the furniture with an air compressor or wet towel.

Step Four:Stain it

Using a paint brush apply an even coat of stain to the wood. We used a deep mahogany color to stain our furniture with but feel free to use whatever color you want. We applied two coats of stain for a rich look. If applying several coats of stain allow time for the wood to complete dry between each coat. When your done applying allow the stain to dry for several hours.

Step Five:Apply hardware

Finding the proper hardware can really make or break this project so make sure you choose wisely. We used cabinet pulls and knobs with a brushed nickel finish to make them stand out from the deep mahogany stain. Your local hardware store should have several options to choose from, so take a few different options home first and try them out. Once the hardware is installed you can display the finished product in your home!

Happy Labor Day! I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday. With all the sales going on I’m sure many of you are out snatching up great deals, but for those just lounging around today here’s a DIY project for you to get your hands on! The original plan was to make an end table for a bedroom but halfway through my husband wanted to make it multifunctional. So we put a door on it which allows our 10 pound dog Ellie to curl up in and snooze. You can design your table any way you want but here’s how we did ours…

Before:

Step One: Obtain

The wood we used for our end table were scrap pieces leftover from previous projects. The sides of the table are 1×3’s that were recycled from an old pallet, and the front and back of the table are 1×6’s from an old barn door. The legs that support the table are 2×4’s that we had just lying around. The purpose of this project is to use odd and end pieces of wood, so don’t worry too much on what the wood looks like.

Step Two:Cut

Now that you have the wood you need to cut it down to size. Using a circular saw, Ryan cut the scrap pieces of wood all down to the same length. If you want to make the exact table you see below cut the 1×3’s and 1×6’s down to 17 inches. You will need 12 1×3’s, 9 1×6’s and 4 2×4’s. Then take 3 of the 1×6’s and cut them down to 14 1/2 inches to use as a door. To make the legs cut the 2×4’s to 24 inches.

Step Three:Sand

Using 80 grit sandpaper sand down every piece of wood to create a smooth finish. Remember to always sand with the grain of the wood. After sanding clean the wood off by using an air compressor or wet towel.

Step Four:Assemble

To assemble the sides:

You will be using all of the 2×4’s and 10 of the 1×3’s. Lay out 2 2×4’s parallel to each other. Take a 1×3 and screw it in flush with the tops of each 2×4 as this will be the top of your table. Ryan used a 2×2 piece of wood as a template to evenly space out the 1×3’s. Take the template piece of wood and place it next to the 1×3 you already have screwed in. Take another 1×3 and place it right next to the template piece and screw it in. Repeat this process for the other 2 2×4 legs and 8 remaining 1×3’s.

To assemble the back:

You will need 3 1×6’s. Screw a 1×6 flush with the top and bottom of each side. Take the last 1×6 and place it in the middle of the two previously screwed 1×6’s to create even spacing.

To assemble the top:

You will need 3 1×6’s. Lay them out side by side on top of the legs and screw them into place.

To assemble the door:

Take the 3 1×6 boards cut specifically for the door and line them up width wise. Take the last 2 1×3’s and place them evenly spaced apart onto the back of the door length wise. Screw them into place making sure you don’t screw all the way through to the front. Now you should have a sturdy door to attach hinges to. Screw the hinges on the door first and then to the leg of the table.

Step Five: Seal

Now that the end table is put together before you can take it inside to use you must first seal it with a coat of polyurethane. You can grab a can from your local hardware store and apply it with a paint brush, or you can get the spray on kind and apply it like spray paint. Just follow the directions on the back of the can. Allow the table to completely dry before displaying it in your house!

It’s a Thirsty Thursday DIY! I simply can’t think of a better way to kick off the long holiday weekend, then with yet another way to re-purpose old beverage bottles. So grab some friends and enjoy the wine, because here’s what you can do with the leftover bottles…

Before:

Step One: Collect

Whether enjoying the wine yourself or recycling from others, gather up at least three bottles for this project. I decided to use three different wine bottles for my DIY, but feel free to use whatever you like!

Step Two: Clean

Once you have your bottles soak them in soapy hot water to remove any labels or sticky residue. Anything left on the bottles will become very noticeable once you use spray paint, so make sure you clean them well. After cleaning allow the bottles to sit overnight to ensure they are completely dry.

Step Three: Coat

Head to your local craft store to pick up a plastic tarp and a few bottles of spray paint. There are several different colors and textures to choose from so get creative! As pictured below, I used a glossy spray paint in platinum, and then a shimmer spray paint in blue and bronze. To get started I hung the plastic tarp in the garage as a backdrop and used newspaper to set the bottles on. I followed the directions on the back of the spray paint can and applied one coat of paint to each bottle. If you want a bolder color all you have to do is add more, just allow time for the paint to dry between each coat. Let the bottles sit overnight to dry and then they are ready to be displayed!